The goal of VIVA Vancouver is to transform street spaces where cars normally go, into people places to give residents more room to walk, bike, dance, skate, sit, hang out with friends and neighbors. So far, the program has developed 8 projects around the city, which includes pedestrian street only days, a theater, mobile digital projections and parking space park conversions. Parallel Park is the latest urban transformation project and was opened to the public on September 1st.

Parallel Park was designed by Travis Martin, who works for van der Zalm + Associates, a local landscape architecture firm, in cooperation with master builder Tyler Harris of Happy Valley Woodwork. Custom designed and prefabricated offsite, the modular deck provides “no purchase necessary” seating to the passersby. Corporate sponsors Dick’s Lumber and ICI paints provided the materials for the project.

Acting more like a public lounge than a park, the deck area sits at sidewalk level and expands the public space into the street so those passing can sit down and take a load off. Conveniently located next to both a JJ Bean Coffee Roasters and a Starbucks, the park also expands the coffee shops’ customer areas, encourages people to enjoy their daily fix and maybe even make a new friend.

We can’t wait to see more cities work on exceptional urban public space projects like this!